The present invention relates generally to fishing bobbers and, more particularly, to a combination fishing bobber and depth finder.
The art of cast fishing has evolved over the centuries both as a means for obtaining food and as a source of recreational pleasure. While significant changes in cast fishing have been made through the ages, the difficulty associated with setting a baited hook at a desirable depth based on the depth of the water has not, until now, been overcome with a great deal of success.
Much of the prior art has been concerned with setting a baited hook at a pre-selected depth below the top surface of the water without taking into account the depth of the water. This approach can be thought of as a top-down approach because its strategy is to float the bobber on the surface of the water and then to allow a predetermined amount of line to migrate downward from the bobber. A number of patents exist on the top-down approach.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,941 issued on Feb. 24, 1981 to D. V. Howard there is disclosed a self-threading casting bobber for automatically letting out a predetermined length of fishing line to position a sinker and hook attached to the line at a predetermined depth beneath the bobber. The predetermined amount of fishing line is wound around a rotatable spool mounted within the bobber and a selectively actuable lock mechanism fixedly clamps the predetermined length of fishing line within the bobber.
As another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,081 issued on Sept. 27, 1983 to D. R. Garner, a fishing bobber having an automatic line release feature wherein a predetermined length of fishing line to be released is wound around a spool formed by an annular flange on one side and a bobber on the other side is disclosed. A pin extends through the bobber with a hook-shaped end which retains the fishing line in place. An opposite end of the pin is terminated in a cylindrical stub which is free to move up and down within a well. The fishing line is connected to the stub so that upward tension occurs during casting, forcing the pin and, in particular, the hook-shaped portion retaining the line upwardly, closing the spool. When line tension is released, the cylindrical stub falls and so does the hook which retains the line, thereby, enabling the line to slide off the spool.
In still another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,115 issued on Aug. 31, 1976 to A. Check, there is disclosed a plastic float for use on a fishing line having a spool for holding a secondary fishing line to which a baited hook is attached. The spool includes two adjusting slots for adjusting the secondary fishing line to any specific depth in the water and also includes a locking and release collar for releasing a trigger holding a weighted ring, leader, and hook for use in the operation of the device.
In a further example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,889 issued on Apr. 29, 1980 to Van Orden et al, a fishing float for use with a fishing line to support a baited hook at any desired depth below the surface of the water is disclosed. The float is constructed so that a predetermined amount of line can be wrapped around the surface of the float before casting and will remain wrapped while the float, sinker, and bait are airborne. In addition, once the float strikes the water, there exists a mechanism for feeding out the slack line on the float until it completely unwinds.
In addition to the aforementioned prior art concerned with the top-down approach, some prior art concerned with the bottom-up approach is also known. In the bottom-up approach, the depth of the water is determined by some depth-finding mechanism. Then, contingent to the depth of the water, a baited hook is set by some mechanism to an arbitrary but adjustable distance above the bed of the body of water.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,319 issued on Sept. 13, 1977 to W. P. Duncan, a fishing device for locating the depth of a body of water and for adjusting a hook on a fishing line to be set at any desired height relative to the bed of the body of water is disclosed. The device comprises a float containing a tubular assembly having two frictional means: one permits the line to move only towards the bed of the body of water, and the second restricts movement of the line in both directions. A disengagement means, when actuated, permits free movement of the line in both directions.
As another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,208,240 issued on Jul. 16, 1940 to Arnesen et al, a combination fishing bobber and depth finder is disclosed. The bobber body is buoyant and has a vertical aperture through which the fishing line passes. The aperture is enlarged at one end to form a chamber of entirely downwardly divergent conical shape and a generally spherical element is contained in the chamber as means for restricting movement of the line upwards in the measurement of the depth of the body of water. The baited hook is elevated off the bottom of the water by insertion of the fishing line into a U-shaped wire and the newly established float to baited hook distance is maintained by tying a knot in the fishing line above the float.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination fishing bobber and depth finder.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination fishing bobber and depth finder that is easy to manufacture, easy to attach to a fishing line, and easy to use.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combination fishing bobber and depth finder that does not require the attachment of any secondary lines for its use.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a combination fishing bobber and depth finder that does not require any additional knotting of the fishing line for its use.